Evgeni Grachev scores on Czech goalie Dominik Furch on a third period shorthanded breakaway. Photo: Reuters
A World Junior Championship isn’t complete until perennial foes Russia and Canada face off in a winner-takes-all elimination match, and that’s exactly what will happen tonight, after the Russia dispatched the Czech Republic in the tournament quarterfinal on Friday.
Ranger 2008 third round draft picks Evgeny Grachev and Tomas Kundratek saw a lot of each other in the quarterfinal, and while Kundratek entered the game having played better and turned more heads in the round-robin portion of the tournament, it was Grachev who finally showed some of the skill, speed and strength that first got him noticed in the U-18 World Championship in Kazan in 2008 and had him leading all rookies in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in scoring before he left for Ottawa two weeks ago.
Grachev, who’s playing center in the tournament after spending much of this season on the left wing for the Brampton Battallion, set up the eventually game-winner by Nikita Filatov with a perfect pass to the right faceoff dot from behind the goal early in the third period. But what caught most observers eyes was the 3-on-5 shorthanded goal that gave Russia the 3-0 lead six minutes later. With two players in the box for Team Russia, Grachev won the defensive zone faceoff, which was controlled by defenseman Dmitri Kulikov and cleared to center ice through Czech defender David Stich, where Grachev raced fellow prospect Kundratek for the puck. Grachev used his long reach to poke the puck beyond Kundratek’s reach, and turned on the jets to pick it up and carry into the Czech zone alone, beating the Czech goaltender through the five-hole with a backhander. It was Grachev’s first goal of the tournament and the first time Kundratek had been on the ice for a goal against in the entire tournament.
Now Kundratek and the Czechs will face-off against a disappointing Team USA, who fell to Slovakia in the other quarterfinal match, for fifth place in the tournament, while the Russian squad plays Canada for a berth in the gold medal game tonight. Russia hasn’t beaten Canada in a World Junior Championship medal round game since 2003, and have dropped their last three medal round meetings. It’ll also be an opportunity for Grachev to face off against his Brampton Battalion teammate, Cody Hodgson, who is currently tied for the tournament lead in points with Canadian teammate John Tavares with 3 goals and 9 assists for 12 points.
Last week, with the Rangers still riding a season-opening five-game winning streak, Sport Express caught up with Ranger winger Nikolai Zherdev — who’ll face his former teammates for the first time in Columbus tonight — to get his impressions on the start of the season, his new team, and life in New York.
Zherdev: On the Streets of New York, Nobody Recognizes Me
10/17/2008 01:22
The Rangers Russian forward Nikolai Zherdev, acquired in the off-season from Columbus in exchange for Fedor Tyutin, has surprised experts at the start [of the season] no less than the rest of the team. Collecting five points in the first five games and having the best plus-minus rating (+3), Nikolai has silenced numerous critics. The young Russian has shared his impressions on the beginning of the season in an interview with Sport Express.
- Such a fast start after an unconvincing pre-season became a shock for the press, including a number of your own in New York. Was it for you?
- No, why? We have a good team, and I don’t know why the press whipped up the hypothosis that we were not ready. They said the pre-season was bad. But in fact the primary roster never played. The whole time it was two lines of the core and two of spares. Half-teams played! But when the whole team began playing together (since the Victoria Cup Tournament), we’ve won everything.
- The Victoria Cup, similarly, also became a turning point — the third period, to be precise. Did you say something to one another during the second intermission?
- Yes, nothing critical. The whole team just played. The main roster got together and the goal for the game was defined — to give a good start to the season. And, off we went!
- But in the first two periods you played as if it was an ordinary pre-season game.
- No, it was simply hard to play with Magnitogorsk on such a large ice surface. Hockey is different for us here. The Magnitigorsk players had more time to pass, to play in their system, and we had to chase them. Had we played on a small rink, the score would have been different.
- You didn’t play on the old Rangers, but there is an opinion that the new, current team is set apart by the fact that there are no superstars on the team.
- Yes, it’s a harmonious team. I like it here very much. There really are no stars, everyone’s new, the players are young, the team hard-working, close. That, probably, is also the reason for success.
- But it’s not difficult? You, the quiet Russian guy, comes to a city where each player is customarily analyzed and investigated under a microscope.
- I don’t read the newspapers at all. I heard that the press here is very tough. And the fans too, but I for the time being don’t feel that. And in the streets of the city nobody recognizes me. I’m undercover (laughs).
- New York doesn’t affect you in any way?
- It’s fine in New York. Columbus, certainly, was a small city — a little bit boring. But here… I don’t know… There are places to go out and eat. But in general I have already lived in such a city — when I played for CSKA. The traffic is the same at any rate (laughs).
It would seem that not everyone considered the NHL’s opening weekend in Prague to be the success the league and the teams involved did. Former Metallurg Magnitogorsk coach and current head of the Czech junior team, Marek Sykora, was decidedly unimpressed with the the event, according to this interview in Russian publication Sport Express.
“The level of hockey demonstrated by the North American teams was, to put it mildly, mediocre,” Sykora shared. “I understand that the NHL clubs are only starting the season and that no one will give everything they’ve got at the start of an 8-month marathon. But against the background of the [level of] entertainment in the games of the KHL or Czech league, in which we now see enormous passion, I did not consider the games between Tampa and the Rangers to be a high quality product.”
When it was pointed out to the that — despite ticket prices that were 10-20 times those usually charged for games in Prague — the arena was full both days nonetheless, the Czech coach attributed the success in ticket sales to former Ranger Jaromir Jagr and a campaign of misinformation undertaken by the NHL. “First of all they love Jaromir Jagr in the Czech Republic. All advertising for the two games was built up as if the legendary number 68 would be in Prague on the roster of the Rangers.”
Sykora alleged that most fans were under the impression that two of their country’s stars would be participating when they purchased their tickets. “The most significant portion of the tickets were sold several months ago, and the spectacle was hyped as an opportunity to watch Jagr and Straka. It’s no secret that many fans in the Czech Republic supported the Rangers in the NHL precisely because of these two hockey players.”
“Over the weekend the majority of visitors to the Sazka Arena were dressed in the sweaters of the New Yorkers, with the names ‘Jagr’ and ‘Straka’,” the Czech coach shared. “And in place of [those players] second-rate Americans Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan were pawned off on them.” Sykora, it would seem, has no problem telling people what he really thinks.
Asked if he was accusing the NHL of deceiving Czech fans, Sykora pulled no punches. “Unequivocally. I remember how many advertisements for Jagr there were in Prague this summer. Posters, TV commercials, features in the press. The grandiose campaign of the North American league as a result turned out to be a soap bubble, but the seats in the arena were sold off in advance.”
“For the sake of selling as many tickets as possible shrewd moves were devised.” Sykora alleged, adding that these moves included informing people that the games would only be shown on pay TV so as to encourage people to attend the game in person (the information later proved false and the games were shown on a regular TV). That, plus the poor quality of the games, caused many spectators to feel cheated, according to the influential Czech. “In the end, many fans left the game embittered. In addition to the absence of the two main names for our viewers on the New York roster, the actual games have turned out dull, without an abundance of beautiful goals and high speeds.”
But Sykora didn’t believe these factors would prevent the NHL from returning to the Czech Republic in the future. “My journalist friends say that the management of the North American league has seriously decided to open the regular season in Prague again next year. I heard that one of the participating teams will be Pittsburgh. I trust this information. First of all, there aren’t so many distinguished teams in the NHL, and no will come to see the Rangers anymore after the fraud with Jagr. Secondly, the overseas bosses above all want profits, and Pittsburgh is the only team, perhaps, that can provide sell outs with the high ticket prices.”
Surprisingly he doesn’t include league darling Sidney Crosby in the list the reasons the Penguins would attract Czech fans. Instead he cites Evgeni Malkin, who he explains is followed closely by Czechs because of a goal he scored against their team in the World Championships last spring. He also notes the fact “Pittsburgh is known by all as the team of the best years of the career of the same Jagr,” and points to Prague favorite Petr Sykora (no relation) as a big draw. Perhaps someone should point out that like Jagr and Straka last year, Sykora is a free agent at the end of the season and therefore not guaranteed to be with the Penguins this time next year…
As for the players themselves, Sykora offered praise to a handful of players on both teams. “On the New York roster Lundqvist looked confident, [and] up front Gomez and Drury were on fire. On the Lightning, I’ll mention both goaltenders — Smith and Kolzig. They have played a brilliant game. One can see that the owners of the 2004 Stanley Cup have collected a very strong brigade of goaltenders.” Somewhere in North America John Tortorella weeps.
But Sykora was unimpressed with Tampa rookie sensation Steven Stamkos, claiming the 18-year old looked better during the World Junior Championships last winter, when he played against Skyora’s own team. “Perhaps after his victory in the draft there is less motivation for him,” he posits, ignoring the fact that Stamkos was playing against a level of competition far higher than his own team was capable of providing last January.
The Rangers’ own Nikolai Zherdev earned his criticism as well. “He had obvious problems with speed,” Sykora said of the Russian winger. “In both Bern against Magnitogorsk and in Prague, he was slow. Zherdev’s technical skill, expertise, and dedication are at a good level, but to progress, he should be more mobile.”
On the other hand, the Rangers other Russian received positive reviews, a fact that is likely to cause Ranger fans to call the Czech’s qualifications into doubt — if they hadn’t already. “I don’t remember anything in particular with Kalinin, therefore, he has played well. For a defenseman the main thing is to not show himself so vividly as Volodya Malenkikh [the defenseman who gave the puck to Ryan Callahan on the game winning goal] in the Victoria Cup. In general, I have liked Dmitri for a long time. He is a player of a considerable level.” But he’s not such a fan of Kalinin’s former team. “I’m happy that in the NHL he has replaced dull, mediocre Buffalo with a stronger team.”
Finally, he was asked about attempts by the Rangers to convince fans in Prague that free agent signing Markus Naslund was a suitable fill-in for Jagr. “I do not want to offend the Swede, but he does not hold a candle to Jaromir,” Sykora replied. “So the PR campaign around Naslund looks ridiculous. Every expert, like me, could see that to replace Jardo with Naslund is impossible.” He concluded by pointing out that the Rangers mistake was the KHL’s gain. “The KHL should be glad that in New York they did not realize in time that they let Jagr slip away. During the season they will surely comprehend this mistake.”
Alexei Cherepanov was asked during a post-game interview yesterday who he would be rooting for in today’s Victoria Cup match between the New York Rangers and the KHL’s Metallurg Magnitigorsk. The Ranger prospect had no trouble chosing his future team over his fellow countrymen. “I don’t know if I’ll get to watch it… but I’ll probably root for the Rangers. After all, they’re closer to me. (smiles)”
Prior to Thursday’s exhibition game against the Tampa Bay Lightning Sport Express correspondent Vasily Osipov caught up with a jovial Tom Renney to ask the Rangers bench boss about the three Russians still playing for jobs on his team, the Blueshirts’ upcoming trip to Europe, and his thoughts on his team’s participation in the inaugural Victoria Cup, set to take place in Bern, Switzerland this Wednesday. The coach, who’s entering his fourth full year behind the bench New York, made it clear that while he and his team take the Victoria Cup seriously, the coaching staff won’t alter the way the team plays or prepares for this one game.
“Naturally, everyone on the Rangers recognizes that special interest is being paid to this match in Russia,” Renney conceded. “We respect that. Rest assured, my guys will play to win.” But he added a caveat: “At the same time you have to understand that we don’t plan to change our style of play to try to adapt to the larger ice surface for the sake of winning one — although important — game.” Quite simply, Renney explained, “Because before us is the fight for the most prestigious trophy in club hockey — the Stanley Cup.”
The Cranbrook, British Columbia native is comfortable with the information he has collected about his team’s Victoria Cup opponent, last year’s European champions, Metallurg Magnitigorsk. “I have sufficient and diverse information available about Metallurg, a large part of which was given to me by my friend [Canadian Dave King] who trained this Russian team in the past.” Renney added, “So I know roughly what to expect from our opponent.” But it will be his own team’s play that is of greater importance to him. “The bigger concern to me will be how the Rangers play in light of our preparation for the NHL season.”
The team is approaching the trip with one goal only. “The purpose put before the Rangers is to come back home with four points in the NHL regular season standings,” the coach states bluntly. “It is important to us to achieve the best possible result, which is why we will try not to lose a lot of time to meetings with politicians, actors, players of youth teams and other local celebrities.”
Renney, who has plenty of experience in taking teams overseas from his days spent coaching Team Canada, was asked to share his secrets for helping his players combat the effects of jet lag. After jokingly recommending that one should “take a small bottle of whisky as soon as you step on the plane, and sleep the whole way” — assuring the reporter that “two days after arrival you’ll be in top form” — Renney became more serious. “First of all it is necessary to make sure that players do not get dehydrated. Since I prefer to hold an intensive practice the day of the flight, it is necessary that the body be fully stocked with fluids.” The pre-flight practice is meant to help the players sleep on a long flight. “After the hard practice the guys will involuntarily want to sleep on the plane because of the accumulated fatigue,” Renney explained. Upon landing, it’s right back to work. “Right after getting settled in the hotel I take the team to the rink, or if one is not available nearby, a soccer field, where we generally work for about an hour. After that, dinner and a short tour, or simply a walk.”
Still, the coach is less concerned about the teams physical condition in Europe, expecting that the excitement of playing in an unfamiliar country will give his charges an emotional boost. The coach is more focused on how the team will fare after their return flight to New York. “What worries me more is when we need to return to America after the Czech Republic to play in the first regular season NHL games,” the coach admitted.
Renney was asked to discuss the three Russian players expected to play a roll in this year’s team, and spoke about each one in turn. Regarding 20-year old prospect Artem Anisimov, the coach shared “Arts [Anisimov] is a good young player who’s growth we follow very closely. At present he has quite a good chance of earning a place on the team. And in general this hockey player has a long career in the NHL ahead of him, which will begin as soon as he is completely ready.” Anisimov was demoted to the Rangers farm team in Hartford the day after the interview, but could factor as a mid-season call up should injuries require.
On free-agent defenseman Dmitri Kalinin, Renney noted the former Buffalo Sabre’s vision and passing. “Kalinin, certainly, has added depth to our defense,” he explained. “We searched for a long time for such a strong defenseman who reads the game well and possesses an excellent pass.”
And finally, Renney suggested there could be big things ahead for 23-year old winger Nikolai Zherdev in his first season in New York. “He is a very talented, creative player, and recently he has improved his defensive play noticably,” Renney shared. “All I ask of him is that he utilize his speed and the quickness of his hands as much as possible.” Renney went on to suggest a 30-goal season is not out of reach for the presumed top-line winger. “Nik has the potential, as a first line player, to score 30 goals this season. The main thing for him is to not dwell on what he’s attained and to continue to make progress.”
Back in July I posted that former Ranger Darius Kasparitis was writing a blog for the Russian web site Championat.ru. At the time, Kaspar was awaiting the birth of twin daughters in early September. Well, early September has come and gone and a little over a week ago Kaspar posted to share the news that he and his girlfriend had become proud parents of two baby girls, born on September 3rd in Stockholm. “We came to the hospital at 8 o’clock in the morning,” Kasparitis explained. “The deliveries began around one o’clock in the afternoon. The first child was born at 8:26pm on the third of September, and the second came out seventeen minutes later. I watched it all… and participated. So now I respect women who give birth very much!” Kasparitis reports that, like many twins, the babies were born small. “One 2.4kg [approximately 5lb 5oz], the second 2.1kg [approximately 4lbs 10oz]. Small, but not too bad.”
In the brief time he was able to spend with his new family in the hospital, Kaspar’s already gotten a taste of what life with twins will be like. “It will be much work for us, I have already understood. Because when one cries, the other sleeps, then the second starts to cry… In short, its bedlam!” The couple’s families are currently in Stockholm helping out, since Kasparitis, who’s missed SKA’s first five games, has returned to St. Petersburg. The new family will be reunited in about a month, when his girlfriend and daughters, Lily and Liv, join him in St. Petersburg.
As for his return to the ice, that depends on his coach. “Now everything depends on [head coach] Barry Smith. I am completely ready,” Kasparitis shared. “I hope that I will play next week. I’ve already gotten bored!” It would seem winning a place in the line up shouldn’t be too difficult on an SKA team languishing in 22nd place in the 24-team league, but Kaspar insists that nothing’s guaranteed. “The situation for us is that everyone fights for a place in the lineup. There are 10 defenseman in the team and no one’s place is reserved. Each game is important for any defenseman,” Kasparitis explains. “Therefore it is necessary to train seriously and be ready because at any moment you can find yourself on the reserve bench. The competition, in short, is very strong.”
Aside: The NHL and its players really need to get on board with this whole blog thing. Screw the celebrity blogs (does anyone actually read them?) and give us some insight from players and coaches. Blogs like Kaspar’s, CSKA head coach Viacheslav Bykov’s, Ottawa prospect Alexander Nikulin’s (translated here) and Columbus draft pick Nikita Filatov’s have provided some of the best reading available online over the past year or so.
Baranka Back
Ranger property Ivan Baranka returned from injury on Friday to play his first game for Spartak Moscow, a 6-5 shootout win over city rivals CSKA. Baranka didn’t factor on the scoresheet, but played 23:12 in 30 shifts, was an even player and had 5 shots on goal playing on Spartak’s second defense pairing. Baranka fans (or anyone wanting to watch an exciting game between two clubs that hate each other) can watch the game on Sportbox, or check out the game highlights or shootout (Baranka wears number 23).
Hossa Named KHL Player of the Week
Former Ranger Marcel Hossa, who fled Pheonix for Dinamo Riga this summer, was voted the KHL’s player of the week by viewers of KHL broadcast partner “Sport” (the same kind folks who bring you games online at Sportbox.ru). Hossa has four goals and two assists for six points in his first 6 games. He also has 33 penalty minutes on the season, 29 of which came as the result of his involvement in a line brawl against Novosibirsk Sibir on September 5th (video below). In addition to Hossa, Riga was represented in the brawl by a few other names that may be familiar to North American hockey fans: Ron Petrovicky, Matt Ellison, and Duvie Wescott. The munchkin in blue? That’s 20-year old, 5′ 4 3/4″ Mikhail Anisin.
Prospect Tournament Underway
The Rangers prospect team kicked off the Traverse City Prospects Tournament last night by getting shutout 4-0 by the Detroit Red Wings’ prospects. The Rangers web site has the story and line combinations, or you can peruse the score sheet from Pointstreak. Four minor penalties to David Skokan, two of which resulted in Red Wing power play goals, are probably what stands out most. Russian-born, AHL-signed Sergei Demagin lead the team with 5 shots. More on the game, from a Detroit point of view, is available from the Macomb Daily. Real-time scores and stats are also available for the rest of the tournament games at Pointstreak.
To follow up on an earlier post, it appears the information provided to Slap Shot by the NHL Network about them broadcasting the “entire” tournament was false. The network, in fact, is only showing eight games, and only one of the games being played by the Rangers prospects is guaranteed to be shown, on Wednesday, September 17th at 8pm. The full broadcast schedule is available as a sidebar in this preview article on NHL.com. Games will be re-broadcast at various times, so check the NHL Network schedule if you miss one.
Rangers fans who are jonesing for hockey and eager to see the organization’s stable of prospects in action won’t have long to wait, as the NHL Network will be broadcasting this year’s Traverse City Prospect Tournament, which gets underway on Saturday, September 13th. Slap Shot, the New York Times hockey blog, reports that the network will broadcast the entire tournament, according to an email they received from NHL Network PR department.
Hey — big news! If you’d like to see Filatov, Mayorov and lots of other top rookies and prospects play, including Steven (Don’t Call Me Steve) Stamkos, the NHL Network has just announced it will televise the entire Traverse City tournament, starting on September 14. These are not live telecasts, but so what? We got the email from the NHL Network PR department telling us of the telecasts, but nothing has yet shown up on their website or on NHL.com (where they are busy hawking back to school backpacks instead), so you’ll have to trust us on this for the moment.
The U.S. version of the NHL Network Broadcast Schedule currently lists a number of (but not all) Traverse City games, beginning with the opening game between the Thrashers and Lightning, which will be shown for the first time at 2:00am EDT on Monday, September 15th (and repeated numerous times over the course of the day). The first Rangers game listed is at 8:00pm EDT on Wednesday, September 17th, which is actually the Rangers’ prospect’s 3rd game of the tournament. According to the NHL Network schedule, the tournament’s 3rd place game will be broadcast at 8:00pm EDT on Thursday, September 18th, followed immediately by the Gold-Medal game at 10:00pm EDT. Hopefully the info Slap Shot received will prove correct and the schedule will be updated to include the rest of the Rangers’ games as well.
In addition to the Rangers, the tournament will once again feature prospect teams from the Atlanta Thrashers, Columbus Blue Jackets, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Detroit Red Wings, and Minnesota Wild. The full tournament schedule is available at Red Wings Central.
There’s no official word on the status of Alexei Cherepanov, though he’s no longer included on the KHL’s most recent list of injured players. Whether that’s because he’s no longer injured or because (having been sent to Avangard Omsk’s farm club) he’s not currently on an official KHL roster is anyone’s guess. Meanwhile, the player who replaced him on Omsk’s roster, Anton Malyshev, scored the game-winner in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Lada Togliatti, Omsk’s first win of the season. Malyshev was named 2nd star in the game. Pavel Rosa, who’s been playing on a line with Jaromir Jagr and Jakob Klepis, was a healthy scratch. Omsk’s first goal was scored by Dmitri Pestunov. Jagr was once again held scoreless.
The Hawks play their home opener against Metallurg Magnitigorsk on Wednesday, a game that can be watched live online starting at 8:00am EDT.
There was plenty of news on the KHL-NHL Cold War front over the weekend. Most notable was the olive branch offered by the KHL, which NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly prompty snapped in two and threw back — one half at the KHL and the other in the direction of the IIHF, who Daly accused of pandering to the Russian league. As things stand now, the KHL has dropped its original complaints against the five players who signed with NHL teams this summer while upholding their objections to three more recent signings. In addition, they claim they’ll allow the Alexander Radulov case to go to binding arbitration — the solution offered by the IIHF. Daly, on behalf of the NHL (which boycotted the meeting because the KHL was going to be there — what year is this?) said the NHL will be happy to go that route as well, but doubted the sincerity and willingness of the KHL or Salavat Yulaev Ufa, the team which signed Radulov, to do so. In the meantime, all international suspensions have been lifted, meaning all six of the original players who’s contracts were disputed, including Radulov, are eligible for international competition.
On completely different topic, that last link also reveals that former Ranger and fan-favorite Jed Ortmeyer is hoping to be ready for the start of Nashville’s training camp later this month. But Orts reports that he’s still suffering from knee pain after ACL surgery last March. More worryingly, he shares that he may be also be suffering a re-occurance of the blood-clot problems he endured as a Ranger — which caused him to miss the first half of the 2006-2007 season — and may have to go on blood-thinning medication as a result.
Steve Zipay at Blue Notes has released a list of 19 prospects and first- and second-year pros who will represent the Rangers in the Traverse City Prospect Tournament, scheduled for September 13 through September 17 in Traverse City, Michigan. This is the third season the Rangers will participate in the tournament, which is hosted annually by the Detroit Red Wings. This year’s tournament will pit the Rangers’ top prospects against squads from the Atlanta Thrashers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning. A full tournament schedule is available at Red Wings Central.
A year ago, the Rangers prospect squad went undefeated en route to taking home the tournament title, thanks to strong performances by Alex Bourret (3-4-7), Brandon Dubinsky (3-4-7), Artem Anisimov (2-1-3) and Lauri Korpikoski (2-0-2). The defense was buoyed by the likes of Marc Staal, Mike Sauer and Bobby Sanguinetti. Of the players listed, only Anisimov and Sanguinetti will return to Michigan this September, and they’ll be looked upon to lead the team, along with second-year pros Brodie Dupont, Tommy Pyatt, and Vladimir Denisov. Other notables missing from last year’s line up include Corey Potter, David Kveton and Michael Busto, who attended the Rangers’ summer development camp, but who’s status within the organization seems to be in question based on this exclusion.
The defense, which includes only five players so far, is the biggest area of concern, though the organization is likely hoping for big things from 2008 first round draft pick Michael Del Zotto and 3rd round pick Tomas Kundratek, the top-rated Czech in the draft, who’s signing was finally confirmed by the club yesterday. Up front, 2008 draft picks Evgeni Grachev, Dale Weise, and Chris Doyle will get their first chance to represent the team that drafted them, while Tomas Zaborsky and David Skokan will look to improve on noteworthy performances at the tournament last fall as they each prepare for their first full pro season. In goal, Matt Zaba will make his debut at the tournament, while Antoine Lafleur will return for a second shot at the tournament title. Forwards Sergei Demagin, who’ll make his North American debut at the tournament, Rangers 2007 7th round pick Skokan, and Mike Taylor, who picked up four points in an 8-game tryout with the Hartford Wolf Pack last spring, and defenseman David Urquhart, who graduated from McGill University in May, are all signed to AHL contracts and are set to play the upcoming season in Hartford. Twenty-one year old free agent signee Justin Soryal rounds out the roster as it stands currently after completing a 4-year career with the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League.
The Rangers also provided the names of 5 players who have been invited to rookie camp on a tryout basis. Most notable among them is the eldest son of former Ranger Captain Mark Messier, 21-year old Lyon Messier. He’ll join three other defenseman, including 6′5″, 225lb 20-year old Tysen Dowzak, 19-year old Czech David Stich and 20-year old Nick Pageau, who impressed enough at the Rangers’ summer development camp to earn himself a tryout. 19-year old right wing Matt Meropoulis will join the four defensemen in trying to earn an invite to the prospects tournament, and, if that goes well, main camp. Expect at least two defenseman — from that list or elsewhere — to supplement the currently shorthanded blueline corps in Traverse City.
Forwards
Artem Anisimov
Joe Barnes
Sergei Demagin
Chris Doyle
Brodie Dupont
Evgeny Grachev
Ryan Hillier (injured)
Thomas Pyatt
David Skokan
Justin Soryal
Mike Taylor
Dale Weise
Tomas Zaborsky
Defensemen
Michael Del Zotto
Vladimir Denisov
Tomas Kundratek
Bobby Sanguinetti
David Urquhart
The Russian junior squad won their first game of the 2008-2009 season, 8-2, against a young Dynamo Moscow farm team yesterday. New York Rangers prospect Alexei Cherepanov scored two goals in the effort, playing on a line with Anton Lazarev (1g, 1a) and Yegor Dubrovsky (1a). Scouts from the Rangers, Detroit, Columbus and Montreal observed the game.
When discussing the roster for the upcoming World Junior Championships after the game, head coach and former Ranger Sergei Nemchinov once again reiterated his desire to include a group of recently-drafted Russians who were not present at the current evaluation camp because they’re preparing to start their seasons in North America — a group that includes Rangers draft pick Evgeni Grachev. “Naturally we have already identified candidates for the trip to the World Championships. But there are guys who have already left to play in the junior leagues of North America, and we hope for them too, their appearance is quite possible. Even more so because the World Championships will be held in Canada. In this instance I’m talking about Voinov, Filatov, Krugrashev, Kulikov, Grachev and Plotnikov.”
Following the game, Mikhail Kraev of the Russian web site SportStand.ru took Cherepanov aside for an interview in which he asked the young star a number of challenging questions about his performance last season, rumors that have dogged the young Russian since last summer’s Canada-Russia Super Series, and the exodus of young players from Russia to the NHL. Cherepanov answered each question openly and honestly, though one can’t help feeling that, specifically as it regards his leaving for the NHL, the young star is doing his best to say what his target audience wants to hear, dodging the question in order to avoid disappointing the locals.
Alexei Cherepanov: No One Understands What I Went Through
Date: 08-22-2008 Time: 14:53:00
Russian Junior team and Avangard Omsk forward Alexei Cherepanov spoke frankly about why things didn’t turn out for him last season, how Jaromir Jagr has started to coach him and what problems stand before him for the upcoming season.
- This year Russian league clubs came off holiday on July 15th. But the majority of hockey players didn’t wait for the official start of the pre-season to prepare themselves. You too?
- Yes, I began to work much earlier than the designated time. I had a trainer with whom I worked. I went to the gym and took to the ice when possible. And when the team got back from holiday, I was ready for the [work] load.
- Those who saw you at the pre-season tournaments say that you have started to move much more confidently than last season. Was there no desire to refuse the appearance with the junior team in order to definitively stake out your place on the [Omsk] club?
- The junior team is different. Of course it would be desirable to play with Avangard, but the national team is probably more important.
- Is it possible to say that you are in excellent shape for the Tournament of Four Nations that will take place in the Czech Republic?
- Yes, probably. Now everything is in order.
- And in the last season everything was not all right. What happened with you?
- Yes, straight off things didn’t go well. It all started in the Super Series with the Canadians. I suffered a serious injury, a concussion. I was treated for a long time, rehabbed for a long time. And then nothing went the way I wanted. Only by the end of the season, really, did I begin to regain my previous form.
- The concussion was really serious?
- Of course. I was in the hospital for two weeks.
- That, in principal, explains a lot. But there was a perception that you also developed psychological problems.
- Those who believe that — it’s their right.
- They said that Cherepanov began to earn decent money, and was more worried about how to spend it than about hockey.
- And who knows how much money I receive?
- Few know precisely, probably. But such conversations took place.
- It’s all conjecture.
- Well then, let’s discuss what the medical problems were?
- Only I know what actually happened. Everyone else only guesses, surmises. But nobody understands what I went through. Furthermore, for a young athlete the second season is always harder than the first. But in total I would not begin to put down my season as a liability. I scored 17 goals… In general, that’s not a bad result.
- Most likely, it got on your nerves that something supernatural is constantly expected of you?
- That also played a role. It especially applied to the junior team. There everyone expected too much from me. But on the other hand, last year became a good life lesson for me. I know now, how to conduct myself in similar situations.
- And how is that?
- Not to pay attention to anyone. To play my own hockey. That’s all.
- Last year Avangard wasn’t successful. Did you also suffer because of these problems?
- Of course. But on the whole last season turned out to be instructive enough.
- So was it a “negative” or a “positive”?
- I couldn’t begin to say that everything was bad. For me it was more positive. Even from all these negative moments came good. Now I’ve become wiser. I know how to act, to not get into such situations. And how to get through problems. I became more experienced.
- They say, that in the past year you were struck by “star” sickness. Was it so?
- Hm… it seems to me, that those who say that for some reason don’t like me. Or they are simply envious. Let them talk. How can I say whether I have this illness or not? Ask the guys [on the team].
- We’ll move on to hockey. They already wait for you in America, but nevertheless, when do you intend to try your strengths in the NHL?
- I will play out this season for Avangard, and we’ll see later. However, this is the last year of my contract.
- The KHL did everything so that young players would not leave. But people all the same have set off for North America. Why do you think that is?
- Perhaps our league develops also, but not as quickly a I would like. And then, the NHL is still stronger. It’s a very old league, to play in it is prestigious. But I believe that in a few years nobody will leave for there.
- Perhaps, it won’t be worth it for you to go overseas?
- For now, I’m not going to predict what will happen in the future.
- In your interviews you talk about Jaromir Jagr, who has returned to Omsk, solely in enthusiastic tones. Is he really so great?
- Of course. Everyone knows all about Jagr, it doesn’t make sense for me to introduce this Czech player. But next to him you make progress. Especially because now Jaromir has begun to help me very greatly.
- And how did that come about? Did you go to him? Or him to you?
- One day after a practice I went on to rehab activities and Jaromir went to the weight room. We met in the dining room. He said [joking]: “Why is it, Alexei, that I go to the weight room, and you’re in the dining room?” And since then he works with me individually. He became my fourth coach.
- Now instead of the dining room, you also go to the [weight] room?
- Yes, but I always liked weight-lifting.
Meanwhile, back in Omsk, the Vladimir Blinov Memorial tournament got under way yesterday, with Avangard losing their opening game to Sibir Novosibirsk by the score of 6-1 without both Cherepanov and Jaromir Jagr, who had just returned from playing two charity games with Team Jagr in the Czech Republic. They faired better today, with Jagr in the line up, defeating Amur Khabarovsk by the score of 5-2. Jagr picked up an assist, while Maxim Yakutsenya picked up a goal and assist playing in place of Cherepanov on a line with Anton Kuryanov and Alexander Popov.
Thanks to Vlad for help with a few tricky bits in the interview.
